Containers and DevOps Delivery – the perfect IT solution
A modern solution to attaining maximum objectives in the IT industry is the implementation of a crossover between the development team and the operations department. This merger of two key departments also known as DevOps is a powerful system that delivers the most efficient software development solutions to a client, while combining a better flow between development vision and operational maintenance. A container is a tool, another example of IT evolution, that plays a vital role in delivering DevOps objectives and workflow in a seemingly simple form. Containers help in simplifying the DevOps delivery by reducing gaps between the vastness of development and operations.
What are Containers?
Containers are virtualization of an operating system. A tool that holds or you may say contain the code and other essential dependencies like configuration files, libraries, etc needed to run, test and reside an application. Thus, allowing a DevOps and DevSecOps team to develop and test as well as keep apps in a secure closed environment or cloud.
This ability to keep apps and related codes in a container make the delivery process easier and quicker while allowing developers, testers and operational sectors to coordinate. Container lets DevOps execute everything from microservice to larger software application-related processes. A single container is capable of running smaller and larger application processes but often for deployments of larger applications, DevOps can deploy multiple containers managed by platforms like Kubernetes.
What is Containerization?
Containerization is the process of containing the application with its code and libraries and everything in one container or environment, which runs on multiple platforms making the delivery pipeline simplified and portable for DevOps.
Benefits of Containers for DevOps
Containers are powerfully streamlined to assist in building, testing, deploying, or redeploying applications on singular or multiple environments like a developer’s laptop to the cloud, etc. The list of advantages that DevOps enjoy with access to a tool like containers is long and includes:
- Containers do not have operating system images and are lightweight
- Don’t require many system resources as compared to the traditional system
- Can be deployed to multiple OS and hardware platforms
- Increases efficiency allowing easy deployment of applications
- Makes testing and delivery more quick and consistent
Containers and Virtual Machines
Containers work differently and more efficiently, unlike Virtual Machines, containers work by virtualizing an OS or operating system. Since containers deliver the same functionality and result, they are often termed as lightweight, efficient, portable VMs or Virtual Machines.
Containers and DevOps Delivery
Conclusively, it would be apt to say Containers fit perfectly with the objective of DevOps and DevSecOps by offering an environment to develop, deploy, test, troubleshoot and power other functionalities needed to run the course of a development or delivery cycle allowing departments like development, operations, testing and security to be in sync. Containers help DevOps to function to the best and deliver the best.